Awake and Arise to ZION

  This week I had a dream. In it I found myself at a location filled with a great multitude of people gathered together with their tents, caravans and temporary accommodations. Many faces I knew, or recognized and some I had not seen before. People of all ages including children and from different locations. All were gathered for some large event or occasion, from what it seemed to me. There was an air of festivity, with lots of food, so much food... and different stalls offering unlimited delicacies catering to all the human senses. From a distance, it looked like a small city in a remote location. How anyone found their friends again if they went for a walk was perplexing to me as there seemed to be no clear order and I wondered how I would find those I was more familiar with. People were laughing, music was playing and the sun was shining brightly, it seemed like the perfect day to have such an event like this even though I didn't know the precise reason for the great gathering.

The picture accompanying this post is of a Torii Gate. These gates  signal to worshipers a transition from the profane world into the sacred. By walking through the T orii , one has entered the world of the Kami, or Shinto gods. This reminds me of a verse from an old  Christian literary work of the late first half of the second century, The Shepherd of Hermas.  This book is thought of as a valuable instruction by many Christians, and considered canonical scripture by some of the early Church fathers such as Irenaeus. Here are a couple verses that I want to refer to... "For after you have made known to them these words which my Lord has commanded me to reveal to you, then shall they be forgiven all the sins which in former times they committed, and forgiveness will be granted to all the saints who have sinned even to the present day, if they repent with all their heart, and drive all doubts from their minds.  For the Lord has sworn by His glory, in regard to His elect, that if any

  "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins.  Notice the two group distinctions. 'My People and House of Jacob"  What is it about Jacob that is a type for us today? How did Jacobs name become Israel? What does the progression look like? Is a fully active and functional covenant more than just standing and saying "Yes"? At the end of the Prayer for Covenant , why would the High Priest add this additional request... " The Lord would make Himself known and His Word known,  to those who hear what comes next ." What does it look like for the Lord to make Himself  known to someone, Why is His Word so important for becoming a greater follower of righteousness?. Is this 'knowing' akin to the Day of the Lord or entering into His rest where a new labor begins? Would this have something to do with ratification of covenant status to the individual, does it accompany a

  οὕτως is a greek word and is pronounced " houtó and houtós" Another way to to understand the meaning in our Mormon vernacular is " on this wise " or in other modern comprehension; …what proceeds or follows from this -  after that, or after (in) this manner, as, even (so), for all that, like(-wise), no more than this, on this fashion (-wise), so (in like manner, thus, (verily, verily) - I am telling you the truth, exactitude - in keeping with) This brings me to the point of this blog post.  In  3rd Nephi 5:8     We enter into the account of Nephi being commanded by the Lord to come forth, and in obedience he arises and comes to the Lord before his people who are watching this unfold; then Nephi bows himself and kisses the Lords feet. The Lord commands him to arise and much to Nephi's hesitancy, due to the holiness and what is coming out of the Lords heart, Nephi stands before Him and the Lord gives unto him power to baptize and then He calls others. "And

  The 10 Virgins knew about the Bridegroom and had made themselves ready to meet Him. The Virgins had their heart solely devoted to the Bridegroom, they were "pure virgins" in this understanding. They had followed the direction and council of the friend of the Bridegroom in preparation. The Bridegroom had noticed them and had made an offer of a future wedding ketubah with them. They were not surprised in the hour He came, but what 5 of them found they were lacking in was "oil" and so they could not enter in. What is this oil? How did they overlook this one thing? Why, despite all their faithful preparations, did they fail in this one thing? Is oil knowing the all mysteries? Is it being able to quote and expound scriptures in a scholarly way? Is it a certain number of baptisms one accrues in their lifetime? Is it position and status among the Lords people? It is a new name/title? Is it advancing forward with the goal to obtain Zion before everyone else? Is it seeing

  https://www.dejvid.net/store/the-scale-of-maat While we are in the flesh, we are being added upon by the experience if we allow it to be so. When we were out of this linear time frame and in eternity, we shouted for joy in the hope of coming here; but now here where every moment is counted, our perspective is different. It hurts. It is brutal, It is a battle. There is an eternal scale in the scheme of all things which is given to provide balance. Lehi called it "opposition in all things" thus ascension must begin with descension. The strait path in the lowest level flows up and through to the highest heavens. Darkness and Light Wickedness and Righteousness Despair and Hope Ignorance  and Knowledge Damnation and Salvation Darkest Abyss and Highest  Heaven Sadness and Joy Hate and Love The fallen angel and the Gods To receive the full measure of this mortal experience, or in other words...to be added upon in this estate and to recognize all that is good, Joseph Smith said &qu